"We are totally confident that all the necessary security measures will be put in place to guarantee a safe and festive European championship - explained UEFA in a statement issued - and, therefore, the dispute of matches behind closed doors is not foreseen".
The tragic attacks in Brussels have reopened the issue of security in view of the European football championship scheduled in France from 10 June to 10 July next. The former president of the FIGC and current vice president of UEFA intervened on the matter yesterday, Giancarlo Abete, not excluding the possibility of playing behind closed doors: “We have to keep our heads up and maintain faith in our core values. We have to rely on the professionalism and sensitivity of the subjects entitled to take certain decisions, making events as much as possible, and postponing them or not making them when significant risks are revealed", said Abete. On the possibility of extreme solutions, such as the prediction of matches in the continental tournament to be played behind closed doors, Abete speculated: “The risk behind closed doors can always exist because we are talking about a competition in which the event must take place. There are no games that can be postponed to another date, in a tournament the fact that certain dates are functional to the final result of the tournament is taken for granted. It seems to me that today the priorities are different, we are talking about events that have already had a negative impact on the tournament. There is a greater perception of risk, less enthusiasm to participate with a positive spirit. However, we are talking about a tournament scheduled for June while now we are talking about an emergency of these hours. Italy plays with Belgium in the European Championships, we must try each to do their own business. We as sports managers must continue to operate with confidence and concern. Realizing that these are battles that can only be won by maintaining a positive spirit".
Many friendlies are also at risk between now and June: Belgium-Portugal had been cancelled but ultimately it will be played in Portugal, rather than in Brussels as originally planned.
